Omaha - This year marks the 25th birthday celebration for Nebraska Shakespeare and William Shakespeare’s 447th birthday.

Shakespeare on the Green returns to Elmwood Park with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet on June 23 and runs through July 10.

The two professional productions are free to the many thousands of supporters who attend the family friendly and magical experience. Many arrive early with picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs to get a good spot “on the green.”

Activities start at 6 p.m. at the Towne Square, featuring live music, concessions, souvenirs and an educational "Shakesperience." Attend the nightly pre-show seminars where artists and scholars gather to meet the audience and discuss Shakespeare's text, current productions and relevant contemporary topics at 6:30 p.m.

At 7 p.m. enjoy the Greenshow with Jek Kelly and Madrigal, followed by Two-Minute Shakespeare at 7:30 p.m. The play of the evening begins at 8 p.m.

Shakespeare on the Green is located at the upper end of Elmwood Park. The entrance is just south of UNO’s Bell Tower on University Drive South.

A. Bryan Humphrey, known to audiences for his work as an Equity actor in many Shakespeare on the Green productions and as director of Romeo and Juliet in 2010, returns to direct his second play for Nebraska Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream was last produced by the company in 1998, and Hamlet in 2001. Both plays were first performed together in 1988.

In its 25-year history, the festival has gained national recognition for its consistently high-quality productions, the beauty of the Elmwood Park setting and for its steadily-growing, enthusiastic audiences. With support from the dedicated core group of benefactors, volunteers and skilled artists, Shakespeare on the Green has become a summer tradition for the people of Omaha and the Great Plains region, drawing as many as 30,000 people each season.

The festival owes its existence to a dedicated group of local corporations, foundations and private individuals, along with its unique partnership with Creighton University, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the City of Omaha, the Omaha Parks Department, the Douglas County Tourism Division and the Nebraska Arts Council.

The Fourth Annual Will’s Best Friend Dog Contest is Sunday, June 26, at 5:30 p.m. Corporate sponsor PETCO will have lots of treats for attendees and their four-legged friends.

Reunion Night is Wednesday, July 6. Individuals and groups who have had any connection with Shakespeare on the Green, staff and volunteering, are invited to attend a pre-show bash at the reunion gazebo beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s metropolitan university. The core values of the institution place students at the center of all that the university does; call for the campus to strive for academic excellence; and promote community engagement that transforms and improves urban, regional, national and global life. UNO, inaugurated in 1968, emerged from the Municipal University of Omaha, established in 1931, which grew out of the University of Omaha founded in 1908.